


Eternal Flame (Rewrite)

by I_D_E_K



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Music, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Hunk & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Hunk & Lance (Voltron) are Roommates, Hunk (Voltron) is a Good Friend, M/M, Musician Lance (Voltron), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, broganes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-14 02:11:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17499617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_D_E_K/pseuds/I_D_E_K
Summary: Lance, having put off his music career for five long and hard years, is persuaded by his best friend and roommate Hunk to give the open mic night at The Castle a go. Keith has been working at The Castle for eight years and not once has he ever been so captured by one of the performers at their open mic nights. Their first meeting doesn't exactly show the best side of either of the two, although they both know that there is an obvious attraction between them. But, it's never just as simple as attraction. Keith has issues that he refuses to face and Lance is hiding something that could change their relationship and possibly even break it.Can the two set aside their fears and insecurities or will their dishonesty be the spark that lights the fire that burns down the bridges they've built?





	Eternal Flame (Rewrite)

Keith sighed as he looked down at his watch for the fifth time in almost ten minutes. Shiro had been out back forever. His and Keith’s shifts at The Castle had both ended and Keith was seconds away from punching the spoken word performer on the stage. Usually he could block out whatever asshole on the stage that thought they had something so special that they felt the need to share it. In fact, some of the performers he kind of enjoyed. They spoke from their hearts.

This guy was clearly just reciting the ‘poem’ that Dee and Charlie came up with in _It’s Always Sunny_.

Whatever his name was had been screaming at the customers for almost a full hour, barely stopping to breathe. Thankfully, after the third customer had packed up and left, Coran got up on stage to introduce the next performer.

“Well, thank you to Maurice for that… performance! Next up we have Lance here to sing a few songs for us!” The people clapped and Keith looked down at his watch one more time. He looked up out of sheer curiosity and immediately sat up straighter, eyes widening as the guy stepped up on to the stage, guitar in one hand and a stool in the other.

He was gorgeous; tall and tanned with eyes the colour of the ocean and Keith wished he knew him just so that he could go over there and calm the guys nerves. He adjusted the microphone stand and picked up a wire, plugging it in to his guitar before he sat on the stool, adjusting it one more time and clearing his throat. Keith tensed, praying to whatever Gods he could think of that Lance could actually sing. He might’ve committed actual murder if someone laughed at him.

“Uh, hi everyone. My- my name is Lance. Lance uh McClain and this is the first time I’ve performed in five years so I’m a little nervous. Well, a lot nervous actually but I’m sure you could all sense that.” He chuckled dryly and the movement of his fingers against the strings of his guitar made a noise that sent all the right kinds of chills down Keith’s spine. “Anyway, here goes, I guess. I’m gonna cover a couple of songs. This one is _Give Me One Reason_ by Tracy Chapman so I hope you enjoy.” He cleared his throat once more and shuffled in his seat, getting comfortable before he pressed his lips together and started strumming.

_Give me one reason to stay here_  
_And I'll turn right back around_  
_Give me one reason to stay here_  
_And I'll turn right back around_  
_Said I don't want leave you lonely_  
_You got to make me change my mind_

Keith’s breath caught in his throat at the soft, husky voice that suddenly came out of Lance. He even looked around to see if maybe Lance was miming and someone else was singing for him but all he saw were the equally shocked faces of everyone else in the room. His eyes were closed, fingers moving as effortlessly as the song that fell from his lips as silence fell over the rest of the room. He didn’t even seem to notice that he had captured the attention of absolutely everyone. The people mid-order had turned to look at the stage, people stopped reading and working on their laptops. They looked up from their phones and any conversations came to a standstill. He began bobbing his head as the song picked up, using the wood of his guitar as a drum to add to the rhythm.

_Baby I got your number and I know that you got mine_  
_But you know that I called you, I called too many times_  
_You can call me baby, you can call me anytime_  
_You got to call me_

_Actual chills ran down Keith’s spine as Lance really began singing, his nerves fading away in to familiarity._

___Give me one reason to stay here_  
_And I'll turn right back around_  
_Give me one reason to stay here_  
_And I'll turn right back around_  
_Because I don't want leave you lonely_  
_you got to make me change my mind_

His heart raced in his chest, feeling like he and Lance were the only two people in the room, feeling like Lance was singing to him, which was impossible because Lance had his eyes closed and the song wasn’t written by him and the two hadn’t even met but Lance’s voice portrayed every emotion that the song was meant to make you feel and more. 

___I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my life_  
_I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my life_  
_I just want someone to hold me and rock me through the night_  
_This youthful heart can love you and give you what you need_  
_This youthful heart can love you and give you what you need_  
_But I'm too old to go chasing you around_  
_Wasting my precious energy_

“Keith, you ready to-” 

“Shh!” Keith didn’t take his eyes off of Lance but shushed Shiro as the older male approached him, raising a hand in his general direction. 

“Who is that? He’s goo-” 

“SHH!” Keith glared at Shiro, who raised his hands in surrender and both turned back to the stage. 

___Give me one reason to stay here_  
_And I'll turn right back around_  
_Give me one reason to stay here_  
_And I'll turn right back around_  
_Because I don't want leave you lonely_  
_You got to make me change my mind_  
_Baby just give me one reason, Give me just one reason why_  
_Baby just give me one reason, give me just one reason why I should stay_  
_Said I told you that I loved you_  
_And there ain't no more to say_

As the final note of the song trailed off everyone, including Keith and Shiro, clapped and someone even inserted to fingers in his mouth to whistle loudly, causing Lance to blush and smile. 

“Thank you.” He adjusted his guitar and stood up to grab a bottle of water, taking a few sips before clearing his throat again. He introduced the next song and the place fell silent once again as he started singing. The time flew by and before they knew it, Lance had finished his short set and a small crowd of girls surrounded him as he got off of the stage, prompting him to shoot finger guns at the most beautiful ones of the bunch. Of course, he was straight. The one guy that Keith had been attracted to in years was fucking straight. 

Coran walked their way, grin on his face and headed for the staff only door, stopping when Shiro caught his wrist. 

“Coran, he’s amazing. Where did you find him?” He asked the owner of The Castle, a shocked smile set in his features. 

“I didn’t. Hunk spoke rather highly of him and asked for a spot in the line-up for this week’s open mic night.” He said excitedly. “I never expected him to be so brilliant!” 

“He had the room dead silent. I think he could be a huge asset for The Castle. People would pay to see him.” Shiro added and Coran twisted his moustache as he thought. 

“I’ve got just the idea!” And, just like that, he was off again, rushing in to the back room to his office to no doubt plan the next years worth of shows for Lance. Coran was nothing if not efficient and if Keith was certain of anything in life it was that Coran was the only person that he knew of who well and truly had a five year plan that they were going to stick to. 

“We should go and say hi.” Shiro said, starting towards Lance before Keith could protest, quite clearly seeing his adoptive brother's attraction towards the musician. As they neared him the girls laughter, as well as his own could be heard, causing a shiver to run down Keith’s spine. 

“Hey man, I’m Shiro, this is my brother Keith. We work here and I gotta say, no one’s ever captured the room like that. Ever.” Shiro said, holding his hand out to Lance for him to shake. Lance completely ignored the fact that Shiro had presented him with his prosthetic and shook his hand without hesitation. 

“Thanks dude, that means a lot.” Fuck, he was even more gorgeous up close. From far away he looked tall and even a little lanky but up close… Lance had broad shoulders and his T-shirt hugged his swimmer’s body in all the right places. His eyes almost glowed in the dimly lit room, capturing the attention of anyone around him. His skin was clear and smooth and his hair, if Keith could touch it without looking like a weirdo, looked as though it would feel like silk between his fingers. The crowd of girls, thankfully, dissipated and Keith caught a whiff of Lance’s fresh smelling cologne and it made him want to bury his face in Lance’s neck and just breathe, to commit that scent to memory so that he could tell everyone he met about it. 

“Between you and me, Coran is out back planning the next year of shows. You’re definitely gonna become a staple around here.” Keith said to the tanned male, causing him to grin excitedly, showing off perfectly straight white teeth. 

"Seriously? Oh man, this is amazing! I’ve been putting this off for so long, I can’t believe people actually liked my singing.” Keith’s stomach rolled with butterflies as Lance’s entire fucking face lit up at the prospect of performing regularly. If Keith wrapped his motorcycle around a tree on the way home and Lance’s face was the last thing he remembered, he would die happy. 

“Well you should believe it. You were awesome.” Keith commented. 

“That’s something coming from Keith.” Pidge, their sound tech, smirked from inside their little booth. “He’s as emo as they come. Hates pretty much everything." 

“Ignore her. She’s an asshole.” Keith rolled his eyes at his childhood friend and Lance grinned as he looked between the two, raising an eyebrow suggestively. 

“Do you guys fuck?” He asked with a sly grin. Shiro choked on his own saliva, coughing in to his fist, and Pidge laughed harder than she had in a long while whilst Keith became increasingly uncomfortable, already sensing where the conversation was headed. If there was one thing Keith hated it was strangers knowing that he was gay, even if those strangers made his stomach flip, like Lance did. 

“No, he’s like my brother, and even if he wasn’t, he’s super gay.” She said, still chuckling and wiping non-existent tears from her eyes. Shiro gave Pidge a wide eyed look, shaking his head rapidly and Keith felt his defences build up, his entire body tensing uncomfortably. Shiro placed a hand on his shoulder, intending to calm his brother but only making him that much more uncomfortable. 

“Pidge!” Keith felt his face heat up in a mixture between embarrassment and anger, looking around to make sure that no one else had heard what she had said. “Don’t just go around telling strangers my personal business!” He snapped and shrugged Shiro’s hand off of his shoulder as he pushed his way out of The Castle, making his way to his motorcycle with practised haste. 

“Hey! Keith, wait up!” He stopped, shock stilling him completely, because surely that wasn’t Lance running after him when he’d known him less than five minutes. Surely Lance was turning his attention back to the girls that had so clearly been ready to drop their panties at the mere thought of going home with him. “Hey man, listen, you don’t need to be angry at-” 

“No, you listen man. I have every right to be angry. I’ve known you five minutes, what gives her the right to tell you my business? I don’t know you.” He turned around, glaring at Lance and damn those blue eyes because it made it so, so hard. His whole body language made it hard to be angry. Lance’s shoulders were hunched, almost as if he had sympathy for me. 

“Chill, I was just trying to tell you that you don’t have to worry about me being an asshole to you because I’m not like that. I know how it feels to have people look down on you because of your sexuality; it sucks and I would never dream of doing it to someone else.” He said sincerely. “But by all means be an asshole to me before you even know me.” Lance’s back straightened and he looked ready to turn around and walk away. 

“Fuck.” Keith cursed as he felt guilt creep up his spine. Was he really about to- no, he wasn’t be never apologised, not even to Shiro after he had stolen his car that one- fuck it, he couldn’t bare the possibility that Lance was angry at him. “I’m sorry. I just get a little defensive.” 

“I get it man, my parents kicked me out at seventeen because they caught me sucking off my neighbour’s kid’s babysitter.” He shrugged nonchalantly, shoving his hands in to his pockets and Keith chuckled. “And that was far too much information. Sorry, I pretty much turn into a walking dictionary when I’m nervous.” He raised his hand to rub at the back of his neck. This close to him, Keith could see a small scar that cut through Lance’s eyebrow, the light freckles that dusted across his nose and the tops of his cheeks and the hint of stubble along his jawline and above his lip. He could see the tiniest bit of eyeliner on Lance’s eyelids and mascara too and usually Keith wasn’t into guys that wore makeup but Lance did it tastefully. His face wasn’t caked in foundation but contoured lightly with subtle highlight and some kind of lip balm that made his lips look just the right amount of shiny that they didn’t look sticky. 

“No need to apologise, I know someone like that too.” Keith nodded, thinking about Hunk and his ‘babble sessions’ as their friend group had taken to lovingly calling them. “I’m sorry that happened to you. That sucks.” Keith shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, fiddling with his lighter with one hand and the packaging of his cigarettes in the other. 

“It is what it is.” He shrugged. “I won’t tell anyone if you’re not out yet. If that’s what you’re worried about.” 

“No, I’m not- I’m out, I just don’t make it public knowledge.” He shrugged and toed the concrete beneath his feet, sending a few loose pebbles across the pavement. “There’s not much that I like people to know about me, whether I’ve known them for five minutes or five years and Pidge sometimes forgets that. She’s an open book, I guess?” 

“Makes sense. Look, I just- please don’t tell Coran that I’m an asshole or anything. I- I’ve wanted a secure gig for so long and I-“ 

“Woah, woah, woah, Lance, relax. I’m not gonna two Coran anything but how much I enjoyed your set. And I don’t think you’re an asshole either, I actually think you’re one of the nicest people I’ve met in a long time.” Keith smiled softly and Lance returned with one of his own. 

“Thanks. That means a lot. So, am I overstepping by asking if you’re you seeing anyone right now?” He asked, rocking back and forth on his feet. 

“No, not at all. And I’m not. You?” Lance shook his head, biting his lip and pulled a little tattered notebook and a pen out of his back pocket. He flipped to a blank page, one of seemingly few, and began writing. 

“This is my number. Call me sometime?” He tore the paper out of the book and held the page out to Keith. 

He took it and frowned, picking at the raw edge. 

“I- I would love to but I don’t actually have a phone.” Keith said warily. 

“Okay. I see how it is. You know what, dude, you could’ve just said you’re not interested. You don’t have to lie about it.” It was Lance’s turn to glare at Keith and before he could even explain any further, Lance had snatched the paper from his fingers and turned his back to Keith, muttering a quiet - but definitely intending for Keith to hear it - ‘asshole’ on his way back to The Castle. 

… 

“What a jerk.” Lance stormed back over to Hunk, who was behind the bar, arms crossed over his chest in anger. He didn’t know what had persuaded him to go and apologise to the stupid mullet head but he had anyway and look where it had gotten him? 

“So, you met Keith, huh?” Hunk chuckled, drying a glass like a cliche bartender. 

“Uh, yeah, I met _Keith_.” Lance scoffed. “He’s a stupid, mullet-headed jerk.” 

“What’d he do this time?” Shay, Hunk’s girlfriend and waitress at The Castle asked as she tucked a circular tray under her arm, giggling at Lance’s insult. 

“First, he yelled at Pidge for telling me he’s gay, which I can kind of understand, so I went to talk to him, let him know that he didn’t have to worry about me being a jerk. Then he yelled at me when I tried to tell him I wasn’t gonna be a douchebag about it. Then sent me all kinds of signals and when I gave him my number, he used the worst excuse ever to try and let me down easy.” Lance scoffed. “He said he didn’t have a phone, Hunk. Who doesn’t have a phone in this day and age? No one! That’s who!” Lance shook his head and picked at the edges of the paper that had his number written on it. 

“Lance… dude… Keith really doesn’t have a phone.” Hunk chuckled. 

“What?” 

“Guy’s like super off the radar. No one’s ever been to his place, he gets paid in cash because he doesn’t have a bank account and he definitely doesn’t have a phone. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Keith use any kind of technology that isn’t the cash register.”  
Hunk explained, causing Lance’s stomach to sink in dread. 

“Oh no…” 

“Did you throw a tantrum?” Hunk chuckled, setting the glass down before he dropped it. 

“Maybe just a little one.” Lance blushed and dropped his head in to his hands, groaning as both Hunk and Shay laughed at him. “I did the thing where I made a comment as I walked away and I know he definitely heard me call him an asshole.” 

“Dude… this is the most hilarious thing that’s ever happened.” Hunk was laughing so hard that he was crying, clutching the counter to keep his balance and Shay had her back turned and shoulders shaking as she covered her mouth to try and stop her laughter. 

"I’m such a jerk.” Lance ran his fingers through his hair in stress, worrying not only about Keith screwing him over with Coran but at the fact that Keith might’ve actually been interested in him as well. 

“It’s okay, Lance, I’m sure he’ll forgive you in ten years. It’s not like he still holds a grudge against his own brother from five years ago.” Shay giggled, patting Lance’s back unsympathetically as she made to clear a table that had just become vacant. 

“Dammit, he was so hot too.” Lance sulked and dropped his head on to the sticky bar. Ugh he would probably break out from all of the bacteria. 

“There’s plenty of fish, buddy. Plenty of fish.” Hunk clapped him on his shoulder and moved to serve a few people that had stepped up to the bar. Lance sighed and looked down at the crumpled paper in his hand. There was no doubt that Keith was long gone by now but if what he’d said about Coran asking him to take up a more permanent position was true then Lance would see him again soon and he could apologise for his behaviour. 

“Lance, my boy, would you like to come to my office for a chat?” Coran asked cheerfully, So Lance put on a brave face and nodded, following the older man in to the back room of The Castle. 


End file.
